Electrical switch



Jan. 29, 1963 G. H. SMITH 3,075,396

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed July 22, 1960 INN INHLUE:

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,075,596 ELECTRICAL SWITCH George H. Smith, Floral Park, N.Y., assiguor to Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 22, 1960, Ser. No. 44,802 6 Claims. (Cl. 74-1ll4) The present invention relates to an electrical switch and relates, more particularly, to a slide action switch which is operable by rotary movement.

An object of the present invention is to provide rotary means for operating an electrical switch having circuit controlling elements which are operated by linear movement. Another object of the present invention is to provide means whereby existing electrical switches of the slide action type can be converted for rotary operation in an inexpensive manner and without changes being made in the switch structure, as such.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent and better understood from the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective of an electrical switch embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the switch as shown in FIG. 1 when assembled;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating dilferent operating positions of certain parts of the switch shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 for a switch having three operating positions.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is a switch 10 of the slide action type in which the operating member has a linear movement.

The switch 10 may be of conventional construction and, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises a base 11 of insulating material on which two contact elements 12 and 13 are mounted in spaced relation to each other. The contact elements have terminal portions which extend through the base and to which the hated ends of conductor wires 14 and 15 are attached, respectively.

An operating member 16 of insulating material is slidably mounted on top of the base and is held in place thereon by an elongated metal housing or shell 17. The operating member carries a stem 18 which extends upwardly through an elongated opening 19 in the top of the housing.

The stem is hollow and contains a spring 20 which acts on a metal ball 21 located in the bottom of the stem. Thus, when the stem is pushed to the right from the off position, as shown, the metal ball is carried with it and bridges the two contact elements under the influence of the spring to close the circuit between the contacts. Such a switch is operated by the sliding movement in a linear direction of the operating member (to the right or to the left as the case may be) with respect to the base and the housing.

To operate the switch by rotary movement instead of linear movement, an offset bracket 22 is mounted on top of the housing 17. The bracket 22 has spaced legs 23 3,075,396 Patented Jan. 29, 1963 which extend downwardly at each end thereof. The legs have flat portions 24 turned outwardly at their lower ends which rest on the housing at the ends thereof and are secured thereto by rivets 25 or the like. The center portion of the bracket which extends between the legs is positioned above and to one side of the housing for the switch mechanism. The center portion of the bracket contains an opening 26 in which a threaded bushing 27 is mounted. A shaft 28 which is rotatable and extends through the bushing, carries a yoke 29 at its lower end. A portion of the lower end of the shaft rests on the switch housing and the yoke has arms 30 and 31 which extend on opposite sides of operating stem 18 of the switch. The ends of the arms which engage with the operating stem of the switch are shaped so as to impart a pushing action to the operating stern in either direction when the shaft is rotated through a given angle. A spring 32 which surrounds the shaft, is interposed between the bushing and the yoke to hold the shaft in a position where the arms of the yoke engage with the operating stem of the switch.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, angular movement of the shaft between positions 1 and 2 will impart linear movement of the switch operating stem to the off and on positions for the two position switch as illustrated. If desired, angular movement of the shaft may be employed to move the yoke and the operating member of the switch to more than two positions, such as positions 1', 2' and 3' as shown in FIG. 6. In this case, the length of the yoke is increased to accommodate the longer linear movement involved.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with an electrical switch having an operating member which is slidably movable in a linear direction between at least two different operating positions of means for moving the switch operating member by rotary motion, said means including a bracket mounted on the switch, a vertical shaft carried by the bracket, said shaft being positioned at one side of a linearly movable switch operating member and being rotatable between at least two dilferent angular positions, and an arm-like member carried by the shaft and engaging with the switch operating member whereby angular movement of the shaft imparts linear movement to the switch operating member.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the arm-like member carried by the shaft is a yoke having arms extending on opposite sides of a stem carried by the :slidable switch operating member.

3. In an electrical switch of the type having an operating member which is slidably movable in a linear direction in operation of the switch, the improvement which comprises a bracket mounted on the switch, said bracket having a center portion extending lengthwise of the.

switch, said center portion being located above the switch and extending along one side thereof in offset relation thereto, a shaft rotatably supported on and extending through an opening in the center portion of the bracket and a member carried by the shaft at the lower end there- 3 of and engaging with the operating member of the switch, said member imparting linear movement to the switch operating member upon angular movement of the shaft.

4. In an electrical switch, the improvement as defined in claim 3 wherein the member carried by the shaft is a yoke having arms extending on opposite sides of a stem carried by the switch operating member.

5. In an electrical switch, the improvement as defined in claim 3 which includes a spring surrounding the shaft and acting on the member carried thereon, said spring holding the shaft in a position where said member is in position for engagement with the switch operating member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,924,351 Doddridge Aug. 29, 1933 2,705,266 Parish Mar. 29, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 215,063 Australia May 21, 1958 1,212,196 France Oct. 19, 1959 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH HAVING AN OPERATING MEMBER WHICH IS SLIDABLY MOVABLE IN A LINEAR DIRECTION BETWEEN AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT OPERATING POSITIONS OF MEANS FOR MOVING THE SWITCH OPERATING MEMBER BY ROTARY MOTION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A BRACKET MOUNTED ON THE SWITCH, A VERTICAL SHAFT CARRIED BY THE BRACKET, SAID SHAFT BEING POSITIONED AT ONE SIDE OF A LINEARLY MOVABLE SWITCH OPERATING MEMBER AND BEING ROTATABLE BETWEEN AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT ANGULAR POSITIONS, AND AN ARM-LIKE MEMBER CARRIED BY THE SHAFT AND EN- 